Level-2

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Level-2 Level-3 Procedures and Techniques

• CVS-EEP Vegetation Monitoring Workshop
• June 10, 2009
• Tom Wentworth NC State University

CAROLINA VEGETATION SURVEY
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Credits!

• All photos by Carol Ann McCormick from the
  Herbarium, UNC-Chapel Hill.
• And...starring (as Persons in Blue) from the
  Carolina Vegetation Survey
• Caroline Bernard
• Forbes Boyle

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Background Level 2

• Level 2 is designed specifically for restoration
  areas with planted material only woody stems are
  inventoried, both planted and natural
• Planted stem inventory
• goals to determine pattern of installation of
  woody stems with respect to species, spacing, and
  density and to monitor their survival and growth
• Natural woody stem inventory
• goals as above, but focuses on inventory of
  natural woody stems

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Background Level 3

• Level 3 provides more general information on
  abundance and leaf area cover of common species
  (woody and herbaceous)
• cover is estimated for all species exceeding
  specified lower level (typically 5 cover) other
  species may be ignored
• low-cover species of concern (rare taxa, invasive
  exotics) may also be documented
• inventory of planted woody stems is optional
• inventory of natural woody stems is also optional

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Information Gathered

• Plot Data (levels 2-3)
• specific data about the plot (e.g., elevation)
  and metadata (data about the data, e.g.,
  taxonomic standard used)
• NB forms for two levels are quite different!
• Planted Woody Stem Data (levels 2-3)
• information about all planted stems, including
  location, dimensions, vitality, and damage
• Natural Woody Stem Data (levels 2-3)
• tallies of naturally occurring woody stems in
  size classes
• Cover Data (level 3)
• percentage cover classes for more common species
• optional for level 3.

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Some General Guidelines

• Complete as many fields as possible
• fields designated in Bold Underlined must be
  completed
• Use pencil (7 mm mechanical preferred).
• It is generally preferable to cross out mistakes
  rather than to erase them.
• Please take advantage of NOTES fields to record
  helpful information.

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About the Inventory Plots

• Location of stands - based on available
  vegetation, project goals, needs of landowners,
  representativeness, etc.
• Size and shape of plots
• for levels 2 3, always 100 m2 (1 are) and
  either 10 x 10 m (typical) or 5 x 20 m, as needed

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About the Inventory Plots

• Number of plots - refer to CVS-EEP protocol for
  guidelines.
• Other considerations
• project directors will select stands within which
  are placed a plot or plots
• plots should be placed in such a way that avoids
  bias
• plot placement should also avoid edge effects and
  achieve homogeneity of vegetation and environment

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Setting up a Plotin the Field

• Discussion and demonstration topic (please refer
  to Level-1 Procedures and Techniques)...

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Plot Data (levels 2 3) -General Information
Plot ID

• Plot identification is critical to success of the
  inventory effort
• Project Label unique and assigned by EEP
• Project Name official name (may not be unique)
  assigned by EEP
• Team each field team within a project has a
  unique number use 1 if only one team exists
• Plot for each team, a unique numeric identifier
  for each plot, running sequentially from an
  initial plot number.

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General InformationLevel, Date(s), and Party

• Level available levels are 1-5, but we are only
  considering levels 2-3 for our current purposes
  (for Level 1-2 Plot Data form, select Level 2
  option)
• Start Date use dd/mmm/yyyy (e.g., 10/JUN/2009)
  format
• add End Date if different from start date
• Party and Role
• all contributors to collection of data, with
  roles played

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General InformationSoil Drainage

• Identifies the natural drainage conditions of the
  soil and refers to the frequency and duration of
  wet periods.
• Categories are defined in terms of
• actual moisture content (in excess of field
  moisture capacity), and
• the extent of period during which excess water is
  present in the plant-root zone
• Please consult the protocol for details!

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General InformationWater (Level 2)

• Information requested
• percent of plot submerged (at the time of
  inventory)
• mean water depth (where present)

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General InformationWater (Level 3)

• Information requested
• percent of plot submerged (at the time of
  inventory)
• mean water depth (cm, where present)
• closest distance to shore (m)

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Location (Levels 2 3)

• General overall location (general place name)
• State and County
• USGS Quadrangle (if used)
• Place Names more specific location name(s)
• EEP Reach section of river where study is
  located
• Land Owner

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GPS Location Data

• Use of GPS for location data is required for
  Level 2 sampling map may be used for Level 3
  (please specify source)
• GPS Receiver Location - within plot, give X and Y
  coordinates, typically plot origin
• Specify Coordinate System (e.g., UTM) and Coord.
  Units (e.g., m)
• Datum - critical info, because all geocoordinates
  are referenced to a datum, and many different
  datums are available
• we recommend NAD83/WGS84

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GPS Location Data

• UTM Zone (if using UTM system)
• Lat or Northing (latitude in selected units or
  UTM-N 7-digit)
• Long or Easting (longitude in selected units or
  UTM-E 6-digit)
• Coordinate Accuracy - m radius, typically
  provided by receiver
• GPS File Name - if you saved a waypoint or other
  file

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Site Characteristics

• Elevation - best taken from topographic maps or
  GIS (not from GPS unit), or by using properly
  calibrated altimeter
• Slope - plot inclination in degrees (always
  positive)
• Aspect - azimuth (in degrees) of direction plot
  faces
• Compass Type - are readings magnetic or true
  (corrected for local declination)?

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Plot Placement

• Project Director or Plot Leader will make this
  determination.

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Taxonomic Standard

• Plant nomenclature is notoriously labile!
• It is important to cite the authority (reference)
  used for the names you applied to plants, because
  this identifies the concepts behind the names.
• Our current preference is Alan Weakleys regional
  flora (currently 2006 version), but you may
  choose other standards, or possibly multiple
  standards!

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Plot Diagram

• This important diagram captures
• plot shape and dimensions (Plot Size is default
  of 1 are 100 m2)
• location of plot origin and marking posts
  (including X and Y coordinates of all Posts
  relative to origin)
• we recommend locating plot origin along the side
  of the plot away from the stream course when the
  plot is adjacent to a stream (to reduce
  likelihood of loss of origin stake by flood
  events)

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Plot Diagram

• This important diagram also captures
• GPS location point
• location and bearing of photo(s)
• Bearing of Plot X-Axis
• locations of landmarks, such as streams, banks,
  fences, witness trees, etc.

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Notes

• These notes capture additional information about
• Layout (especially unusual features)
• Plot Location - relocation information can be
  summarized here
• Plot Rationale - why this particular location was
  chosen for the plot
• Other Notes - typically, this field will capture
  information about disturbance type and severity

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Additional Plot Data, Level 3

• Plot size and modules sampled must be specified!
• Salinity
• Additional information about soil (6 fields)
• Classification information
• Topographic Position, Hydrologic Regime, Landform
  Type
• Cover by Strata/Canopy Height table

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Other Data Forms Headers

• Fields at top of various other data forms
• Planted Woody Stem Data (Levels 2, 3)
• Natural Woody Stem Data (Levels 2, 3)
• Cover Data (Level 3)
• Repeats information from Plot Data form
• Leader, Project Label, Team, Plot, Date, Ares
• essential for reuniting data forms if they become
  separated, so please fill this out as you begin
  recording data!
• There is an option for Height Cut-Off for Stems
  in Natural Woody Stem Data (explain if gt10 cm).
• Please add page numbering as needed.
• optional for level 3

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Planted versus Natural Stems

• The CVS-EEP Protocol for Recording Vegetation
  requires that a distinction is made between
  planted and natural woody stems. Which is which?
• if there is positive confirmation (e.g., planting
  plan) or strong evidence (e.g., burlap shreds)
  that a stem was planted, then consider it
  plantedotherwise, consider it natural!

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Planted Stem Data EntryVBD versus VMD

• For newly-constructed projects, planted woody
  stems are initially inventoried through
  collection of Vegetation Baseline Data (VBD)
• In years following initial plot establishment,
  the protocol specifies collection of Vegetation
  Monitoring Data (VMD)
• preprinted forms are provided to contractors with
  the most recent years data for planted woody
  stems in the plot (including a map of stems)
• contractors update the VMD data form with current
  dimensions and status of planted woody stems

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VBD Planted Stem Data EntrySpecies Source
(Levels 2 3)

• Species Name - use Latin binomials, following
  your taxonomic standard
• Source - was planted material Transplanted, Live
  staked, Balled and burlapped, Potted, Tubling,
  bare Rooted, or Mechanically planted, or is it
  Unknown?

http//www.life.uiuc.edu/edtech/entomology_slides/
images/31067-linnaeus.jpg
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VBD Planted Stem Data EntryCoordinates (Levels
2 3)

• X and Y Coordinates relative to plot origin (same
  system used to specify location of posts)
• In meters, to nearest decimeter (i.e., to 0.1 m
  precision)
• binned (rounded down) such that
• 0.0 - 0.099 m is 0.0m
• 0.1 - 0.199 m is 0.1m
• 0.2 - 0.299 m is 0.2m
• and so on...

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VBD Planted Stem Data EntryStem Dimensions

• ddh - diameter (mm) at one decimeter height - of
  largest of multiple stems, but smallest dimension
  if elliptical, also binned
• Height - height (cm) to tallest perennating organ
  (typically a terminal bud), also binned
• Note that height precision drops to 10 cm if the
  plant is gt250 cm and lt400 cm tall, and to 50 cm
  if plant is gt400 cm tall.
• DBH - diameter in cm at breast height (137 cm)
  for taller plants, also binned

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Measure What When?
Required Measurements, Planted Woody Stems Required Measurements, Planted Woody Stems Required Measurements, Planted Woody Stems Required Measurements, Planted Woody Stems
Plant Height/Type ddh (mm) Height (cm) DBH (cm)
lt 137 cm tall yes, mm precision yes, cm precision no
gt 137 cm and lt 250 cm tall yes, mm precision yes, cm precision yes, cm precision
gt 250 cm and lt 400 cm tall no yes, 10 cm precision, but still use cm units yes, cm precision
gt 400 cm tall no yes, 50 cm precision, but still use cm units yes, cm precision
Live stake no yes, cm precision Yes if gt 137 cm tall, cm precision
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VBD Planted Stem Data EntryVigor and Damage

• Vigor - 4 (excellent) to 0 (dead) categories,
  plus Missing (for resurveys)
• Damage - records observed injury to planted stems
  (many categories on data form)

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VBD Planted Stem Inventoryin the Field

• Discussion and demonstration topic (please refer
  to Level-1 Procedures and Techniques)...

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Natural Stem Data Entry Seedlings, Saplings, and
Trees (Levels 2 3)

• Natural woody stems are tallied in three
  categories
• seedlings - less than 137 cm in height and
  tallied by height classes (irrespective of
  diameter), may be subsampled
• recall that a Height Cut-Off (in header) can be
  used to exclude tallies of stems below a certain
  height
• saplings - small stems tallied by DBH in two
  diameter classes, may be subsampled
• trees - larger stems tallied by DBH in several
  diameter classes (note write actual DBH in cm
  for stems gt 10 cm (or gt 40 cm, depending on form
  used), may not be not subsampled
• use of subsampling and/or height cut-off for
  stems greater than 10 cm must be explained and
  must result in representative data!

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Natural Stem Data Entry Speciesand Collection
(levels 2 3)

• Species Name - use Latin binomials, following
  your taxonomic standard
• Collection (c) annotate this field with a slash
  (/) if a plant specimen is collected if this
  specimen becomes a permanent record (pressed
  herbarium specimen), denote by changing the /
  to an X.

http//www.life.uiuc.edu/edtech/entomology_slides/
images/31067-linnaeus.jpg
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Natural Stem Data EntrySubsampling (levels 2
3)

• Subsampling is possible for seedlings and/or
  saplings, by species - used when stems are
  sufficiently dense that subsampling would provide
  a satisfactory estimate of total density (also a
  big time-saver!).
• Select a reasonable percentage subsample
  (typically 10, 20, or 50 of plot), and tally
  stems only within this strip along baseline of
  plot.
• Supersampling is also a possibility (typically
  only for tree stems, however)!

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Natural Stem Data EntryStem Tallies (levels 2
3)

• Numbers of stems are tallied separately by
  species for seedlings (by height classes) and for
  samplings and trees (by DBH classes).
• Use dot-box notation system for efficient
  tallies!
• We discuss in the following slides how to deal
  with multiple stems belonging to the same plant!

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Multiple StemsPlanted Individuals

• Planted stems
• as in Level 1, each plant is treated as a single
  individual, with appropriate diameter and height
  information assigned to that individual
• ddh, height, and DBH may be determined for
  different stems of the same plant, but these
  attributes are assigned to the individual plant

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Multiple StemsNatural Individuals

• If no stem of a given individual achieves breast
  height (137 cm), then tally this plant as a
  single individual (as is done with planted woody
  stems) in the appropriate seedling height class.
• If at least one stem of a given individual
  achieves breast height, then follow the standard
  rules for tallying woody stems for Levels 4 5
• stems that emerge below 50 cm and reach breast
  height are tallied separately in appropriate DBH
  classes
• when multiple branches emerge above 50 cm, then
  only the dominant branch is tallied in the
  appropriate DBH class, even if other branches
  achieve breast height

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Natural Stem Inventoryin the Field

• Discussion and demonstration topic...

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How many stems?
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Determining Height
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Determining DBHwith Biltmore Stick
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Determining DBHwith d-tape
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Cover Data Entry Speciesand Collection (level 3)

• Species Name - use Latin binomials, following
  your taxonomic standard
• Collection (c) annotate this field with a slash
  (/) if a plant specimen is collected if this
  specimen becomes a permanent record (pressed
  herbarium specimen), denote by changing the /
  to an X.

http//www.life.uiuc.edu/edtech/entomology_slides/
images/31067-linnaeus.jpg
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Cover Data EntryCover Classes by Module (Level
3)

• Column headers are module numbers, but only a
  single module is permitted for Level 3, so simply
  record a 1 in the first column and all cover
  data in this column.
• For each species, record its cover class (see
  listing of classes at bottom of data form)
• a given species is listed only once on this form!
• Cover is based on a shadow projection concept,
  using the canopy outline.
• Record data for species achieving at least 5
  cover. Recording of cover for other species is
  optional, but may include species of concern
  (rare taxa, exotic invasives).

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Cover Data EntryCover by Strata (level 3)

• Strata are user-defined on the Plot Data sheet
  (height ranges and actual percent cover).
• Using the pre-defined strata, assign cover
  classes for each species to appropriate strata
  T, S, H, (F), (A) previously recorded on Plot
  Data sheet
• important rule each plant of a given species
  contributes all of its cover to the stratum in
  which it has the greatest cover!

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Cover Data Inventoryin the Field

• Discussion and demonstration topic...

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DeterminingCover Classes
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Cover is based onshadow projection!
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DeterminingCover by Strata